A Rose By Any Other Name
by Elaine Vivian
Summary: Rosalind Perth has quite by accident fallen in love with someone she really shouldn't have. But when a secret about her life is revealed, what will become of this love?
1. Chapter 1

_***A/N: Blame the Doctor Who Christmas special and the book series The Luxe for this one, mates. Dedicated to Olivia, who has been very patient with me. Oh, also, this is only the first chapter, so yeah. WEEEE!**_

* * *

Rosalind Perth was not rich. The hem of her only coat was frayed, no matter how much she tried to take care of it. Her boots were scuffed; her scarf holey, and even her nice silk dress had lost its sheen. No, she was not rich, but she often tried to pretend she was.

Pretending to be rich had gradually become easier, as a young Bill Hearst, son of the newspaper mogul, had taken a fancy in her. In fact, he had bought her the very lovely pair of kid gloves she wore now as she walked down the avenue toward the townhouse where she worked as a maid for the Reid family. She went inside through the servant's entrance in the back at the kitchen.

Maeve, one of the scullery girls, smiled at Rosalind as she walked in and then smirked as she caught sight of the kid gloves. "Where'd you get them gloves? Found yourself a wealthy gentleman caller, 'ave you?" she teased.

Rosalind hung up her coat and tied on her apron. "Well, maybe I got them as a Christmas gift t' myself, yeah? After all, how can you call it Christmas if you don't treat yourself t' somethin'? 'Sides, even if I did 'ave a wealthy gentleman caller, why would I tell you?"

"'Cos you've no other friends 'sides me!" Maeve slapped the dishrag at her.

Rosalind yelped in jest and picked up the tray of tea set to go to the parlor. "So, oo's the old sir 'avin' over for tea today?" she asked.

"Surprisin'ly enough, it ain't the old sir 'avin' anyone over, it's the young one!"

"Darcy? E's havin' a friend over? Wonder if it's a lady friend." Rosalind raised her eyebrows. "'Course ever'one in the 'ouse knows 'e fancies _you_."

"Oi, 'ush your mouth an' go take the tea out!"

She smiled and she kicked open the door with her foot. It was true, that Darcy Reid fancied Maeve, at least a little bit. But no matter how nice of a man he was, he fancied many a girl. Just last week he taken that Margaret girl the opera and now…

The calling bell rang. She picked up her pace a bit and entered the parlor. "Your tea, sirs—" She stopped suddenly, seeing that Darcy was sitting across the table from none other than Bill Hearst. She put her head down quickly and hoped that he wouldn't recognize her in her maid's uniform.

Thankfully, they were both immersed in a drawing of a map and paying no attention to her. She set the tea tray down on the table and curtsied quickly. "Ring if you need anything, sirs."

Darcy's head perked up and he smiled like he always did. "Thank you, Rosalind," he said quickly but genuinely.

Unfortunately for her, Bill decided to look up and thank her as well. "Yes, thank you—Rosie?"


	2. Chapter 2

*A/N: I don't know why I'm writing this I really shouldn't be but I can't help it I like fluffy, unrealistic, humorous relationships.

* * *

"Rosie?"

Rosalind froze and kept her mouth shut. Bill kept his eyes on her. "Rosie, what… what are you…"

Darcy glanced back and forth at the both of them, oblivious as ever. "Do you two know each other? I mean it's certainly unlike but not impossible, although I must say I've never heard anyone call you Rosie. How would you two have met?"

The girl regained her composure and straightened her spine. "Sorry, sir, but I think you might 'ave the wrong person in mind. Mum always said I 'ad one o' those faces. If you'll excuse me, sirs." She curtsied again and walked back toward the kitchen. She heard the couch shift as one of them stood. "Excuse me for a moment, Darcy."

_Damn it_, Rosalind thought. She quickened her pace but heard Bill's footsteps quicken behind her as well. Just as she was about to turn into the kitchen she felt his hand on her arm. "Rosie."

"I'm sorry Mister 'Earst, but I'm not your friend Rosie."

"Rosie, stop it. I know it's you. Obviously you haven't exactly been telling me the truth, but you are Rosie. I couldn't _not_ recognize your face. Please help me understand what's going on here."

She stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, a habit, and removed his hand from her arm. "Come with me." She took his hand and rushed him into the hall closet. "Now, what do you wanna know?"

Bill's face was white and he was aghast. "Rosie, this is hardly appropriate—"

"What. Do. You. Want. T'. Know."

He shook his head. "Why the voice?"

"You would 'ave thought I was poor. Not worth your time."

"I never—"

"Oi, hush up now. Yeah, you would 'ave. I was wearin' silk an' velvet when you caught sight o' me. Walkin' outta church. If I 'ad been wearing this dress, you wouldn't 'ave done nothin'. You wouldn't 'ave gone after my 'at for me."

"Your wealth or lack thereof has nothing to do with the way I feel for you."

"Don't kid yourself, Bill, I—"

"No, Rosie. It's my turn to speak," Bill sighed. "I went after your hat because I saw a hat flying in the wind and figured that whoever had lost it my need on a day so windy as that one. I didn't even know whose hat it was—just that it needed retrieving. And then I saw you, and… my God, Rosie; you were the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on. I didn't see what type of clothes you were wearing. I only saw a beautiful girl who had lost her hat and," he paused and took her hands in his, "who I wanted to know. I just wish you hadn't lied to me."

She saw the way he was looking at her and she took a step closer so that there was very little space between them. "I never lied to you… I didn't tell you everything."

"Isn't that the same thing, though? Lying through omission. I wish you had told me the truth. Because I really don't care about anything else. I—l"

She grabbed his face and kissed him unlike she had ever before; in fact, they hadn't kissed before at all. He was so shocked that Bill abandoned any solemnity and pulled her as close to him as possible without crushing her.

In all of their snogging, as Rosalind would call it, they didn't even notice when two sets of footsteps rang as they clicked against the marble floors of the house. Suddenly the closet door swung open. "Bill?"


	3. Chapter 3

**_*A/N: I'm having a lot fun writing these short little chapters an I will continue to write them whether they are reviewed or not._**

* * *

"Bill?"

Bill detached himself from Rosalind save for the hand he kept at her waist tha pulled her along with him as he stepped forward. "Darcy."

The gears turned in Darcy's head, trying to figure out exactly what the devil was going on here. "Bill, I—why were you kissing my maid?"

Before Bill could stumble over his words, Rosie offered up an answer. "Bill's been courtin' me, Darcy, though it's a bit more complicated than you know. Long story short: things 'appen. Now, if you don't mind, I'll get back t' my chores." She pushed past Darcy out of the closet.

Darcy grabbed her hand. "Rosalind, as much as isn't a problem for me, there are rules, and my father—"

"Your father don't 'ave t' know."

"—expects me to enforce those rules. I'm sorry, but I do have to tell my father about this."

"You have to tell me about what, Darcy?"

The four turned to see Mr. Reid approaching them from down the hall. Mr. Reid glanced between the four and raised his eyebrows when he saw Bill standing in the doorway of the closet and Rosie standing next to him with both of them appearing slightly more disheveled than usual. "Miss Perth," he said sharply, "I would like to see you in my study. Immediately."

Rosalind sighed heavily. She turned to Bill. "You couldn't jus' leave it alone? You 'ad t' know, didn't you?" She shook her head and sighed again, following Mr. Reid upstairs to his study.

Once they were inside, Mr. Reid sat down in his chair. "Close the door, Miss Perth. Now, I do not want an explanation for your actions, as they seem clear to me. You know very well that I have rules that _must_ be followed, and those rules prohibit the help from… _canoodling_… with the guests."

"It ain't that simple, sir, y'see, Bill's been courtin' me an'—"

"I told you that I did not want an explanation. What you do on your own time is your business. However, I will not allow this kind of behavior by the help under my own roof. You will not be… consorting… with _anyone_ on my dime."

Rosalind averted her eyes, fearing what was most like coming next. "I understand, sir. Won't 'appen again, sir."

"Oh, you're quite right. It won't happen again, because this family no longer requires your services. You may go, and if you come back again, you will be trespassing."

"That ain't fair!"

"_Life_ isn't fair, Miss Perth, and I expect you already knew that. You may go. _Now_."

It almost seemed like steam was coming out of Rosalind's ears. She untied her apron and flung it onto his desk. He looked at her incredulously, but before he could speak, Rosalind took the lead. "What? I got nothin' left t' lose. An' so I say, good day t' you, _sir_."


	4. Chapter 4

_***A/N: Oops another one. **_

* * *

As she walked down the stairs, she felt very proud of herself but by the time she reached the bottom she realized that she was now very unemployed, and if she knew Manhattan's elite like she thought she did then it wouldn't be long before every house in the city knew her name and her "offense."

Maeve had gone back to the kitchen, but Darcy and Bill were waiting at the foot of the staircase. Rosalind looked at Darcy with already a fond remembrance. "Your dad's a piece o' work, I tell you." She placed a hand on his cheek. "It's been a pleasure workin' for you, love. Do me a favor?"

Darcy nodded and smiled softly, sadly. "For you, Rosalind? Of course."

"I believed in you from the first minute I met you," she told him. "You got your crazy inventions an' plans, an' I know your father don't 'ave any faith in you."

"What's that got to do with a favor?"

"Prove 'im wrong."

She hugged Darcy unexpectedly, but he hugged her back anyway. They had never really had a two-way conversation about his plans, but he supposed she'd actually been listening when he raved about a new idea or discovery. He let go of her. "Thank you, Rosalind. I will." He walked out of the room then, leaving his former maid alone with his best friend.

She turned to Bill. "I 'ope you know this is your fault, me losin' my job."

"No more mine than yours, though." He kissed her forehead. "I'd like to escort you outside, if you'll permit it."

She smiled a warm half-smile that failed to finish forming because at that moment she realized that everything between them was probably finished forever and there was nothing she could do about it. But she took his arm and they walked to the servant's entrance, where he helped her into her coat. He smiled when he saw the gloves. "I bought these for you. I wouldn't have thought you'd wear them here."

"They're the only gloves I got, Bill. I wear 'em everywhere." She had meant it as a joke but it only thickened the line between her poverty and his wealth. Neither of them laughed, but stayed silent as they walked outside.

She took his hands in hers as they stood on the steps of the servant's entrance. "I understand if you don't wanna see me ever again. I lied t' you, an' that was fair o' me to do. An' if this is goodbye—"

"This is _not_ goodbye. Rosie, I'm not going to change the way I feel about you just because you aren't who you said you were. Now, if you were a criminal that might be another story, but you aren't. We just travel in different circles. But they overlap, you see. So no, this is not goodbye, Rosie. I would never wish to say goodbye to you, and by God I hope I never make you want to say goodbye to me." He brushed a piece of hair out from in front of her eyes. "And I would like to see you again. If you'd only say the words…"

Rosalind let a heavy silence fill the air while she paused to think. "If I said I loved you… what would you say?"

"Oh, my love… I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

_***A/N: Michele, you are the only one who keeps this going, if I'm being perfectly honest.**_

* * *

There was no space between them, and the only air was shared. On the concrete steps they stood in each other's arms, wanting nothing, feeling everything. Their hearts were bursting, their lungs starving, their entire beings on fire, and no corner of their minds left untouched by the other. By the time that their lips had parted, they were no longer two hearts but one.

Their foreheads touched. "I'm sorry that you lost your job," Bill whispered.

"I would say it's jus' money, but money's exactly what I need right now."

"If there's something you need, then money is no object—"

Rosalind stood straight. "I don't want your money. It's somethin' I 'ave t' earn on my own. I ain't a charity."

Bill's eyebrows creased together. "You know I didn't mean it that way. If you need help, then let me help. I just want you to be happy, Rosie. And no matter what, you'll never be indebted to me. I wouldn't expect anything in return."

"It ain't that simple, Bill. I 'ave some… debts t' settle. An' what with rent and food and Daisy at 'ome with a fever—l"

"Who's Daisy?"

"My little sister. She's gotta fever—'ad it for a couple o' weeks now—an' Mum's at 'ome takin' care o' 'er an' it's up t' me t' be breadwinner. Don't suppose you can relate t' that," she said, looking away. She felt a surge of unnerving shame for her pathetic, impoverished situation.

He put his finger under her chin and lifted it. "If your family needs help, then let me give it. And if you won't let me help you the way I really want to, then at least let me pay for a doctor to see to your sister. By the sounds of it, she very much needs a doctor's care. People should not have to suffer just because they can't afford _truly needed_ assistance. Please. Let me pay."

She looked at him seriously. "You could get a doctor over t' my 'ouse right now? 'E could go t' my 'ouse right now an' 'e could do somethin' for my sister?"

He smiled and took her hands in his. "I don't imagine that he could say no to me, my dear."

She nodded. "Then let's go. I've got t' do what I can, no matter the source. An'… Bill?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."


End file.
